Power receiving unit, power transmission unit, and feed system

• US 10,340,740 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Washiro, Takanori, Yajima, Masakazu, Kikuchi, Kazuo, Hirabayashi, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnett, Joel
• Application Number:
  US15/358,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20170077758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/00 Adaptations of transformers or inductances for specific applications or functions
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A power receiving unit includes: a power receiving section configured to receive electric power from a power transmission unit; and an electromagnet configured to be magnetized based on the electric power received from the power transmission unit.

Claims

1. A power transmission unit comprising:

a power transmission section configured to supply wireless electric power to a power receiving unit,

a first opening formed at center of the power transmission section; and

a fixing section including a material to be attracted to a magnet, the fixing section is disposed in the first opening,

wherein the power receiving unit includes;

a power receiving section configured to receive the wireless electric power from the Power transmission section,

a second opening is formed at center of the power receiving unit, and

an electromagnet configured to be magnetized based on the wireless electric power received from the power transmission section, the electromagnet is disposed in the second opening, and

wherein the fixing section is attracted to the electromagnet when the power receiving section receives the wireless electric power.

2. The power transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein the power transmission section is provided along a vertical plane or an inclined plane.

3. The power transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein the fixing section is configured of iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or cobalt (Co), or a material including any of iron, nickel, and cobalt.

4. The power transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein the power transmission section includes a first electrode configured to be paired with a second electrode provided in the power receiving unit, and a power transmission circuit connected to the first electrode and including an AC-signal generation source.

5. The power transmission unit according to claim 4, wherein the first electrode also serves as the fixing section.

6. The power transmission unit according to claim 4, wherein the fixing section is provided in a selective region corresponding to a mounting location of the electromagnet of the power receiving unit.

7. A power transmission unit comprising:

a power transmission section configured to energize an electromagnet in a power receiving apparatus by wirelessly radiating electric power to the power receiving apparatus;

a first opening formed at center of the power transmission section, and

a fixing section made of a material that affixes the power receiving apparatus to a surface of the power transmission unit when the electromagnet is energized by the electric power,

wherein the fixing section is disposed in first opening to be coupled with an electromagnet disposed in a second opening of the power receiving apparatus when the power receiving section receives the electric power.

8. The power transmission unit according to claim 7, wherein the material is iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or cobalt (Co), or a material including any of iron, nickel, and cobalt.

9. The power transmission unit according to claim 7, wherein a magnetic force attracts the electromagnet to the material when the power transmission unit wirelessly radiates the electric power.

10. The power transmission unit according to claim 7, wherein the power receiving apparatus is detachable from the power transmission unit when the power transmission unit does not wirelessly radiate the electric power.

11. The power transmission unit according to claim 7, wherein the electromagnet is de-energized when the power transmission unit does not wirelessly radiate the electric power.

12. The power transmission unit according to claim 7, wherein the power transmission section is configured to wirelessly radiate the electric power when the power receiving apparatus is brought into contact with the surface of the power transmission unit.

13. The power transmission unit according to claim 7, wherein a surface of the power receiving apparatus is brought into contact with the surface of the power transmission unit, an area of the surface of the power transmission unit is larger than an area of the surface of the power receiving apparatus.

14. The power transmission unit according to claim 7, wherein an electrode in the power transmission section is configured to wirelessly radiate the electric power.

15. The power transmission unit according to claim 14, wherein the electrode is the fixing section.

16. The power transmission unit according to claim 14, wherein the electrode surrounds the fixing section in an electrode layout of the power transmission unit.

17. The power transmission unit according to claim 7, further comprising:

a communication section configured to receive a command from the power receiving apparatus.

18. The power transmission unit according to claim 17, wherein the command instructs the power receiving apparatus to halt wirelessly radiating the electric power.

19. A power receiving unit comprising:

a power receiving section configured to receive wireless electric power from a power transmission unit;

a first opening formed at center of the power receiving unit, and

an electromagnet configured to be magnetized based on the wireless electric power received from the power transmission section, and

wherein the electromagnet is disposed in the first opening, and the electromagnet is coupled with a fixing section disposed in a second opening which is formed at center of the power transmission unit when the power receiving section receives the wireless electric power.

20. The power receiving unit according to claim 19, wherein the electromagnet is electrically connected in series between the power receiving section and a load.

21. The power receiving unit according to claim 19, wherein the power receiving section includes a second electrode configured to be paired with a first electrode provided in the power transmission unit, and a power receiving circuit connected to the second electrode and including a rectifier circuit.

22. The power receiving unit according to claim 21, wherein the second electrode and the electromagnet are provided in proximity to a power receiving surface.

23. The power receiving unit according to claim 22, wherein the second electrode has a flat shape and has an opening in a selective region of the flat shape, and the electromagnet is provided in the opening of the second electrode.

24. The power receiving unit according to claim 19, further comprising a control section configured to control a current that flows to the electromagnet.